Benjamin S. Kaminetzky

Partner

ben.kaminetzky@davispolk.com

As a member of Davis Polk’s Litigation Department, Mr. Kaminetzky divides his time between complex commercial litigation and bankruptcy litigation. He has regularly represented financial institutions and large corporations, such as Morgan Stanley, in complex commercial litigation, and major lenders and creditors, such as JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Goldman Sachs, Ford, Bank Leumi and Bank of America in bankruptcies and reorganizations. He was also the lead litigator in numerous contested matters in the Chapter 11 proceedings of Delta Air Lines, Tribune, Lyondell and Frontier Airlines. Mr. Kaminetzky also concentrates in and publishes on litigation involving complex valuation and insolvency issues.

Contact

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New York
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
P: 212-450-4259
F: 212-701-5259

Related Practices

Bar Admissions

State of New York
State of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Colorado
U.S. District Court, E.D. New York
U.S. District Court, S.D. New York

Education

B.A., Yeshiva University, 1991
- summa cum laude
J.D., New York University School of Law, 1994
- cum laude
- Senior Articles Editor and Writing Competition Chairman, Annual Survey of American Law

Languages

Hebrew

Work Highlights

Recent Representations

Morgan Stanley in a billion-dollar dispute related to a Latin American submarine cable network; won dismissal of claims in New York Court of Appeals
Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America in multi-billion dollar fraudulent conveyance matters related to the Lyondell, Tribune and Extended Stay leveraged buyouts
Delta Air Lines and Frontier Airlines in litigation related to collective bargaining agreements, pension termination and/or retiree health care
Goldman Sachs and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in various complex preference and fraudulent conveyance litigations
Forex trading firm, Gain Capital, in a fraudulent conveyance action asserted by the trustee of Ponzi scheme debtor
Major lenders and creditors, including JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Bank Leumi, Goldman Sachs, Emerson, Ford, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe and Bertelsmann, in numerous bankruptcies and restructurings, including Lehman, Delphi, Lyondell, Tribune, Capmark, Conseco, Polaroid, Enron, Cedar Chemical, Level 3 Communications, Pameco, Key3Media, Bridge Information Systems and Napster
Online travel site in dispute with industry participants
A newspaper in a preliminary injunction hearing in Minnesota State Court related to non-compete agreements and the alleged misappropriation of trade secrets
A power company in an international (ICC) arbitration related to the engineering and construction of a power plant in the Netherlands
JPMorgan Chase in an NASD arbitration relating to the emerging markets downturn; won dismissal of all claims
Morgan Stanley in a trial related to an M&A transaction in the telecommunications industry
An International commercial explosives manufacturer in antitrust MDL class actions and attendant Department of Justice investigation relating to the pricing of commercial explosives

Recognition

Identified as a New York “Star” in Legal Media Group’s Benchmark Litigation
Named an Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer of 2007 by Turnaround & Workouts
Identified as a Corporate Restructuring “Recommended Partner” in The Legal 500 U.S. 2011

Of Note

Memberships

Secretary, Judiciary Committee, New York City Bar
Member, Committee on Bankruptcy and Corporate Reorganization, New York City Bar
Member, Board of Directors, Yeshiva College, where he is chairman of the Career Development Committee and a member of the Academic Affairs Committee

Pro Bono

Special Counsel, Federal Monitor for the International Longshoremen’s Association in connection with disciplinary proceedings related to organized crime
Special Assistant District Attorney, Queens and Kings Counties
Legal Advisor, Beth Din of America

Professional History

Partner, 2003-present
Associate, 1995-2003

Law Clerk, Hon. David A. Nelson, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit 1994-1995

News

Benchmark Litigation Recognizes 21 Davis Polk Lawyers and Names the Firm Among the Best in the Nation in Three Practices

Publications

Leveraged Buyout Bankruptcies, The Problem of Hindsight Bias, and the Credit Default Swap Solution | Colum. Bus. L. Rev. 118 (2011)

Client Publications

Lehman Bankruptcy Court Holds Contractual Right to Triangular Setoff Unenforceable In Bankruptcy and Not Protected by Safe Harbors
Client Newsletter

Second Washington Mutual Plan Confirmation Denial May Have Significant Impact on Claims Trading and Plan Negotiation
Insolvency and Restructuring Update

Seventh Circuit Delivers a Major Win for Secured Creditors; Holds that Secured Creditors Cannot be Denied Right to Credit Bid in a Sale Under a Plan
Insolvency and Restructuring Update

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Title ALL TITLES Associate Consultant Counsel Counsel - Registered Foreign Lawyer General Counsel Law Clerk Litigation Counsel Partner Registered Foreign Lawyer Senior Counsel
Offices ALL OFFICES Beijing Hong Kong London Madrid Menlo Park New York Paris São Paulo Tokyo Washington DC
Practices ALL PRACTICES Antitrust Asia Practice Bankruptcy Litigation Board of Directors Litigation and Strategic Counseling Capital Markets China Practice Commercial Dispute and Contract Compliance and Advisory Compliance and Advisory Consumer Class Action Consumer Products Corporate Corporate Governance Credit Derivatives and Structured Products Energy/Utilities Environmental Europe Practice Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Financial Crisis and Subprime Lending Financial Institutions Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Health Care Health Care/Life Sciences Hedge Funds India Practice Insolvency and Restructuring Intellectual Property Intellectual Property Litigation Internal Investigations International International and Domestic Arbitration International Litigation and Enforcement Investment Funds Litigation and Investigations Investment Management Leveraged Finance Litigation M&A-Related Litigation Mass Torts and Product Liability Media and Telecom Mergers and Acquisitions Private Equity Professional Liability Project Finance Real Estate Securities Class Actions Securities Enforcement Spain and Latin America Practice Tax Tax Controversy Technology Trading and Markets Trusts and Estates White Collar Criminal Defense
Law School ALL SCHOOLS Albany Law School American University, Washington College of Law Australian National University Australian National University College of Law Beijing Foreign Studies University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Bond University Faculty of Law Bordeaux University Boston University School of Law BPP Law School Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School Brooklyn Law School Campus Law Centre, Delhi University Chicago-Kent College of Law - I.I.T. China University of Political Science and Law College of Law, London Columbia Law School Columbia University Cornell Law School Duke University School of Law Ecole de formation des Barreaux (EFB-Paris) Emory University School of Law Fordham University School of Law Frankfurt University, Institute for Law and Finance Fudan University Law School George Washington University George Washington University Law School Georgetown University Law Center Ghent University Faculty of Law Harvard Law School Hofstra University School of Law Howard University School of Law Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Faculty of Law King's College London School of Law King's College, University of London Leiden University London School of Economics London School of Economics and Political Science London School of Economics Department of Law McGill University, Faculty of Law Murdoch University School of Law National Taiwan University (NTU Law) National University of Singapore Faculty of Law New York University New York University School of Law Northwestern University School of Law Oberlandesgericht Koln Osgoode Hall Law School of York University Peking University Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo Faculdade Paulista de Direito Queensland University of Technology Renmin University of China Renmin University of China Law School Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Die Juristiche Fakultät Rutgers University Rutgers University School of Law - Newark Seton Hall University School of Law Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Southern Methodist University School of Law St. John's University School of Law Stanford Law School Stanford University Stockholm University School of Law SUNY Buffalo Tel Aviv University The College of Law, Chester, England Transnational Law and Business University Trinity College, Dublin School of Law Trinity College, University of Cambridge Tsinghua University UC Berkeley - Boalt Hall School of Law UC Davis School of Law UC Hastings College of the Law UCLA School of Law Universidad Carlos III de Madrid School of Social Sciences and Law Universidad Católica Argentina (Buenos Aires), Facultad de Derecho Universidad de Buenos Aires Universidad de Deusto Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICADE) Universität Zu Köln Université de Droit & Sciences Economiques Nancy II Université de Strasbourg Faculté de droit Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, Faculté de droit Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas Université Sceaux-Paris XI University at Buffalo Law School - SUNY University College London, Faculty of Laws University of Bristol School of Law University of British Columbia Faculty of Law University of Cambridge University of Cambridge, Faculty of Law University of Cape Town University of Cape Town, Faculty of Law University of Chicago University of Chicago Law School University of Cologne University of Connecticut School of Law University of Delhi Faculty of Law University of East Anglia University of Edinburgh School of Law University of Florida University of Genoa (Italy) Faculty of Law University of Georgia School of Law University of Glasgow School of Law University of Groningen University of Hong Kong University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law University of International Business & Economics University of Iowa College of Law University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law University of London University of Melbourne University of Melbourne Law School University of Miami School of Law University of Michigan University of Michigan Law School University of Minnesota Law School University of Munich, Faculty of Law University of Murcia University of Naples Federico II School of Law University of Natal, School of Law University of New South Wales University of New South Wales, Faculty of Law University of Notre Dame Law School University of Otago, Faculty of Law University of Oxford University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania Law School University of Pittsburgh School of Law University of Queensland University of Queensland, TC Beirne School of Law University of San Diego School of Law University of Sao Paulo Law School University of South Carolina School of Law University of Southern California Gould School of Law University of Stellenbosch, Faculty of Law University of Sydney Law School University of Tel Aviv, The Buchmann Faculty of Law University of Texas at Austin University of Texas School of Law University of the West of England, Bristol University of the Witwatersrand, Oliver Schreiner School of Law University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law University of Toronto, Faculty of Law University of Toronto, Faculty of Law/Joseph L. Rotman School of Management University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law University of Virginia University of Virginia School of Law University of Warsaw, Faculty of Law and Administration University of Washington School of Law (Seattle) University of Western Australia University of Western Australia, Faculty of Law University of Western Ontario University of Wisconsin Law School Univerzita Karlova v Praze Vanderbilt University Law School Wake Forest University School of Law Washington & Lee University School of Law Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis School of Law Wayne State University Law School Yale Law School Yale University
Clerkship ALL CLERKSHIPS Amon, Carol Bagley Aspen, Marvin E. Bates, John D. Bea, Carlos T. Becker, Edward R. Benton, Duane Berman, Richard Bernstein, Stuart M. Binnie, Ian Block, Frederic Boggs, Danny J. Bork, Robert H. Boyle, Terrence Breitel, Charles D. Breyer, Stephen G. Brown, Janice Rogers Buchwald, Naomi Reice Byrne, Jr., William Matthew Cabranes, José A. Caffrey, Andrew A. Callinan, Ian Cardamone, Richard J. Casey, Richard Conway Castel, P. Kevin Cedarbaum, Miriam Goldman Chagares, Michael A. Chandler III, William B. Chin, Denny Clark, Thomas A. Clay, Eric L. Coffey, John L. Conboy, Kenneth Conner, William C. Cote, Denise Cummings, Walter J. Cyr, Conrad K. Daniels, George B. Davis, Legrome Drain, Robert D. Duffy, Kevin Thomas Edelstein, David N. Feinberg, Wilfred Fisher, Raymond C. Flannery, Thomas A. Fogel, Jeremy Fuentes, Julio Gagliardi, Lee P Garaufis, Nicholas G. Garibaldi, Marie L. Garth, Leonard I. Ginsburg, Douglas H. Ginsburg, Ruth Bader Glasscock III, Sam Glasser, I. Leo Gleeson, John Goettel, Gerard L. Goodwin, Alfred T. Gorenstein, Gabriel W. Greenberg, Morton I. Gregory, Roger L. Griesa, Thomas P. Grunis, Asher Hall, Janet C. Hall, John E. Hays, Paul R. Henry, Robert H. Herndon, David R. Hochberg, Faith S. Hornby, D. Brock Hurley, Denis R. Iacobucci, Frank Imber, Annabelle Clinton Irenas, Joseph E. Irizarry, Dora L. Jacobs, Dennis Jiuyong, Shi Judges' Chambers, Senior Kaplan, Lewis A. Karas, Kenneth M. Katzmann, Robert A. Kaufman, Chief Judge, Irving R. Kearse, Amalya L. Keeley, Irene M. Keenan, John F. Kelly, Jr., Paul J. Kennedy Jr., Henry H. Kennedy, Anthony M. Kennedy, Cornelia G. King, Carolyn Koeltl, John G. Korman, Edward R. Kravitch, Phyllis A. Laster, Travis Leaphart, W. William Lechner, Jr., Alfred J. Legg, Benson E. Leisure, Peter K. Leon, Richard J. Letts, J. Spencer Leval, Pierre N. Lew, Ronald S.W. Lumbard, J. Edward Luttig, J. Michael Marshall, Thurgood Martin, Jr., John S. Matthes, M.C. Mauskopf, Roslynn R. McLaughlin, Joseph M. McLaughlin, Mary A. McMahon, Colleen Motz, J. Frederick Mukasey, Michael B. Murphy, Diana E. Nelson, David A. Newman, Jon O. Nickerson, Eugene Oakes, James L. Orie, Alphons O'Scannlian, Diarmuid F. Otero, S. James Otis, Louise Owen, Richard Parker, Barrington D. Patterson, Jr., Robert Pauley III, William H. Pitman, Henry B. Platt, Thomas C. Pogue, Donald C. Pollak, Louis H. Pooler, Rosemary S. Pratt, George C. Preska, Loretta A. Rabner, Stuart Raggi, Reena Rehnquist, William H. Ripple, Kenneth F. Robinson, Stephen C. Roth, Jane R. Rufe, Cynthia M. Rymer, Pamela Ann Sand, Leonard B. Saunders, Mary E. Scalia, Antonin Scheindlin, Shira A. Seitz, Collins J. Selna, James V. Sifton, Charles P. Silberman, Laurence Silberman, Laurence H. Skotnikov, Leonid Smith, D. Brooks Smith, Jerry E. Snow, G. Murray Sprizzo, John E. Stahl, Norman H. Stein, Sidney H. Stotler, Alicemarie H. Straub, Chester J. Sullivan, Richard J. Swain, Laura Taylor Sweet, Robert W. Sykes, Diane Tauro, Joseph L. Thomas, Clarence Thompson, David Tjoflat, Gerald B. Townes, Sandra L. Trager, David G. Van Dusen, Francis L. Wallace, J. Clifford Walls, William H. Webster, William H. Weinfeld, Edward Weinstein, Jack B. Wellford, Harry W. Wesley, Richard C. White, Byron R. Widener, Jr., H.E. Wilbur, Richard C. Williams, Richard L. Williams, Stephen F. Wilson, Charles R. Winter, Ralph K. Wisdom, John Minor Wollman, Roger Wright, Caleb M. Young, William G. ALL COURTS British Columbia Court of Appeals Delaware Court of Chancery District of Columbia Court of Appeals High Court of Australia International Court of Justice Montana Supreme Court New Jersey Supreme Court New York Court of Appeals Quebec Court of Appeals Supreme Court of Arkansas Supreme Court of Canada Supreme Court of Israel U.S. Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit U.S. Court of International Trade U.S. District Court, Arizona U.S. District Court, C.D. California U.S. District Court, Connecticut U.S. District Court, Delaware U.S. District Court, District of Columbia U.S. District Court, E.D. New York U.S. District Court, E.D. North Carolina U.S. District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania U.S. District Court, E.D. Virginia U.S. District Court, Maine U.S. District Court, Maryland U.S. District Court, Massachusetts U.S. District Court, N.D. California U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois U.S. District Court, N.D. West Virginia U.S. District Court, New Jersey U.S. District Court, S.D. Illinois U.S. District Court, S.D. New York U.S. Supreme Court U.S. Tax Court UN ICTY